Romo says no to day off

Quarterback Tony Romo lifts his son, Hawkins, into the air as Romo’s wife Candice watches after the afternoon session of the 2013 Dallas Cowboys training camp on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 in Oxnard. (Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News)

OXNARD, Calif. – Despite being given a day off by his coach, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo nearly put in a full day’s work Tuesday.

Coach Jason Garrett said at his mid-day news conference Romo “probably won’t practice today or will practice very lightly. We are trying to get some of our more veteran players a little bit of time off throughout camp and this is a day we will choose for him.”

But Romo had other plans. The 33-year-old pro suited up for the team’s full-pads practice and did nearly everything he usually does.

“It was a short-yardage, goal-line emphasis day,” quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson said. “(We) kept him out of a lot of the individual stuff, but there’s not much throwing in the short-yardage and goal-line. He just wanted to

participate in some of the situations at the end of the practice. It wasn’t anything that was going to tax him and he just felt like he wanted to get that work.”

Romo will have to rest Wednesday because it’s a scheduled day off for the entire team.

Quarterback Tony Romo offers a high five to his nearly 16-month-old son, Hawkins, after the afternoon session of the 2013 Dallas Cowboys training camp on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 in Oxnard. (Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News)

“We’re trying to be real smart with him and he knows that,” Wilson said. “He didn’t over do anything today and he gets a full day off tomorrow. He is an aggressive personality when it comes to doing his part, though.”

Romo missed most of the offseason after undergoing back surgery. But his “camp has been real, real solid,” Wilson said.

And he earned some respect by practicing Tuesday, teammates said.

“It sends a message to the linemen,” tight end Jason Witten said. “We are going full live goal-line and he’s out there with us.”

“That’s what we need to see – a guy out there working when he shouldn’t be working,” defensive end DeMarcus Ware said.